As Ray Harryhausen says these monster movies were planned to be filmed in colour but due to financial restraints by the studios were produced in glorious black and white.I've seen these movies time and time again in this format ,but now we have a huge WOW!!! factor in the equation with the involvement of Legend Films.This fantastic DVD set allows you to watch them in the original format or with the flick of a switch unprecidented full colour quality.And quality it is forget the old attempts to colourize film ,noteably the insipid King Kong,here it's like Dorothy going through the doorway to OZ,miraculous.The whole package reeks nostalgia with the main sleeve design,and bright;y coloured dvd cases for the double disc sets of each movie.
One downside to the set is that some of the extras are repeated between films giving the impression that they have just been grouped together rather than fully designed for this special edition.That said there's enough diversity and background information to satisfy both the curious and fan of Ray Harryhausen.
See how it was all done before computers got in on the act, the empathy you'll have for these critters will blow the competition out of the water.
A MUST BUY for anyone interested in animation and for the true fans don't forget 'THE EARLY YEARS OF RAY HARRYHAUSEN'which compliments this set perfectly and all for well under £20!!!!!!!!!!
Just saved myself nearly £10 on this most haunted series 9 dvd so Excellent any future dvds i require will defo use this site before purchasing anywhere else first.
Absolutely fantastic, from start to finish it is a bundle of laughs, Kathy Burke plays the part of Linda very well, and so does James Dreyfus, the clash between Tom and Lindas personality's really bring out the brilliant writing and the great acting. The episodes are well preformed and once you have finished watching series one you will definitely want series two straight afterwards.
Okay... so anyone weaned on the subsequent series will find the original movie entirely different, but the movie is a legitimate production and the absense of Joss Whedon (who may have disowned the movie before release despite being credited as writer) adds to its value. And, had the movie not been produced and released in the first placed, gaining cult status, Joss Whedon may have remained an obscure talent, and television executives may never have given the goahead for the series in the first place.
More camp horror than true hard core, the movie costars the always watchable Donald Sutherland, Pee Wee Herman Paul Reubens, Blade Runner alumnus Rutger Hauer and American Grafitti's Candy Clark... together with early appearances by Hilary Swank and David Arquette.
Although after an initial meeting between Kristy Swanson and Donald Sutherland in the gym, Kristy remaining alone after cheerleader practise, she thinks Donald Sutherland (who wants to disclose something secret to her) is some paedo, she eventually warms to the message he has for her.
Anyway... don't disregard the movie simply because the pro-Whedan clique have unceremoniously blackened it - give it a chance.
'Big Daddy' Is a spectacular comedy from Director Dennis Dugan ('I know Pronounce You Chuck And Larry', 'Happy Gilmore') staring Adam Sandler ('Click', 'Little Nicky') about what a guy would do to get his girl back.
Sonny Koufax (Sandler) is the type of guy who wants the least amount of responsibilty as possible, but when his room-mate, Kevin Gerrity (Jon Stewart: 'Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back', 'Half Baked'), leaves for China and his son that he never knew he had shows up, Social Services is closed for the day, Sonny is the only one there for him.
Sonny decides to Adopt little Julian "Frankenstein" McGrath (Cole Sprouse, Dylan Sprouse: 'TV's The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody', 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus'), saying that he is Kevin (Stewart), in order to show his girlfriend, Vanessa (Kirsty Swanson: 'Dude, Where's My Car?', 'Hot Shots!'), that he can handle responsibility.
When social services realise that Sonny is not who he says he is, Sonny has to do everything he can to not only get the boy back, but to keep out of prison.
The film is a comedy with a bit of a sad side to it. Adam Sandler's character finds a love for a son that he never knew he could have. When social services take him away, Sonny wants nothing more than to remain the boy's legal gardian.
In my personal words: Big Daddy cannot be described in a few paragraphs, it's a film that must be watched and loved by all viewers.
From a big Adam Sandler fan, Big Daddy deserves at the least a 9/10 rating from me.
'The Object Of My Affection' is a stunning romantic comedy from director Nicholas Hytner ('The History Boys', 'The Madness Of King George')starting Jennifer Aniston ('Tv's Friends', 'The Break-Up') and Paul Rudd ('Knocked Up', 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin') in a film which shows sometimes the relationship you want the most is one you can never enjoy.
When George Hanson (Rudd) leaves his partner, he gos to Brooklyn to live with Nina Borowski (Anniston), a woman he had met recently while attending a get-together at his parents house.
Nina announces Paul that she is pregnant, and when she and her partner have relationship troubles, the man she falls for is her new friend and room-mate. Paul seems to have similar feelings, but the problem is that Paul happens to be gay.
The film itself is more a romance film rather than a comedy, but overall is a touching story which gives you a few laughs.
In my personal words the way to describe the film is: It's one of those films which needs to be watched not knowing what it's about. Even if you wouldn't like it, it's something that needs to be watched.
I would personally give the film a 6/10 rating and enjoy the films over and over.
This German film won an incredible amount of awards from all around the world including Oscar and Bafta for Best Foreign Language film. Watching films that have been so feted is often a slightly disappointing experience as expectations are raised so high. "The Lives of Others" lives up to all expectations. This is a quality of Film that rarely comes along.
"The Lives of Others" is a story of everyday life in the DDR in the days of The Stasi the state run secret police. Senior Stasi officer Captain Gerd Wiesler(Ulrich Muhe) is tasked with heading up a team keeping a well known playwright and his actress girlfriend under surveillance. As Wiesler sees and hears more of their lives he begins to question everything he believes in and the whole system running the DDR. This causes huge internal conflict and the Stasi agent has to make the toughest decisions of his life and career. This beautifully acted film gives a real insight into day to day life in the DDR with the constant fear of surveillance, state interference in citizens lives and also the motives of those acting in this way.
This film really deserves all the praise it has received and more. Debut director Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck pulls the whole thing together skilfully and coaxes wonderfully subtle performances from his three stars. Films of this quality do not come along often. This is a must see film and one which will long stay in the memory of all who watch it. First Class.
The Fresh Prince & Rin Tin Tin appear to be the only survivors of a cataclysmic event that mutates humanity beyond recognition, in Francis Lawrence's long awaited adaption of Richard Matheson's groundbreaking 1950s sci-fi novel. 'I Am Legend', here in its third incarnation since Chuck Heston's 'The Omega Man' (1971) and Vincent Price's 'The Last Man on Earth' (1964), was initially lined up for Ridley Scott to direct Arnold Schwarzenegger (though a deadly encounter with some vampirc horde seems preferable to enduring an hour of Arnie emoting), is a fascinating, flawed but consistently entertaining movie. Will Smith, in a role that's every actors dream, puts in a powerhouse, one-man performance as an immune doctor patrolling the streets of an abandoned New York (eerily realised by an army of SFX wizards—think the brilliant Times Square dream sequence from 'Vanilla Sky' only stretched throughout an entire film) with his trusty mutt and shotgun in tow, Smith goes tête-à-tête with grisly cannibalistic mutants; holding onto his vain hope of finding a cure from the infected. You can see shades of this apocalypse in everything from Gilliam's '12 Monkeys' (i.e. animals roaming the streets) to Danny Boyle's '28 Days Later' (i.e. desolate London) and whilst some of the 'stalk n' shoot or be eaten' scenes may seem over familiar thanks to a revival of the zombie flick, 'I Am Legend' is unique in its use of an iconic landscape and the manner in which director Lawrence ('Constantine') touches upon the psychological breakdown that often stems from prolonged periods of externally imposed solitude. Essentially a non-linear, 'one-man-against-the-elements' story, Will Smith is ably supported at the halfway mark by young Brazilian actress Alice Braga ('City Of God') though Smith, who holds his film together like the pro he became after 'Ali', has to take all the credit. For whilst its strange to see such a gregarious and vocal actor doing long scenes in virtual silence, 'I Am Legend' works in spite of its many logistical and narrative hurdles. An atmospheric adventure through an abyssopelagic nightmare (somehow I always knew Emma Thompson would be singlehandedly responsible for destroying the human race) that may lack repeat viewing potential, but is still a must see. I Am Sequel?
Julie Waters steals the film with her performance, and a superb script that hold many gems for the viewer. It captures a rare mix of comedy with personal emotion and sensitivity. The viewer truly feels like a "fly on the wall" into a secret, forbidden world of sin and debauchery.
The film is superb in its ordinariness in the portrayal of sexual diversity and is only slightly let down by the underlying thread for her wish of a "real man" and "normal" life.
It is worth seeing for the Judge being spanked and the "lesbian" barrister alone. However, keep and eye on Dolly too, she holds another secret!
The story of Christine Painter and her roller coaster ride as the over-worked waitress who, through her friends (Shirley and Dolly), seeks to improve her financial situation by turning her home in to a business.
Before long she is learning the 'tricks of the trade' from the wonderful roles that Shirley has to offer her clients. Soon her brothel is packed to capacity and Christine (and her girls) are chaining up the Inland Revenue staff and spanking the 'bott-botts' of Judges. Her empire comes to a climatic end when Christine is hauled before the courts, but even then there is a twist.
now, i may adore my films but oil is not the usual subject you would expect to find a sixteen year old girl adoring as she sat in the odeon cinema at 9 o clock at night one thursday...well, how wrong both you and i were.
there will be blood is an epic tale of greed, power, trust and family brought to our screens by relatively inexperienced yet wonderful, academy award nominee paul thomas anderson, adapted from the novel "oil!" by upton sinclair, no, id not heard of it either...
the story begins in 1898 with "saint" daniel day lewis as daniel plainview accidentally discovering crude oil deposits, and on having the rock examened, starts a whirlwind of oil extracting operations and by 1911 is one of the most successful oil tycoons in the state of california.
plainview is approached by a young man, paul sunday (acted brilliantly by paul dano) who sells an oil lead on his familys property in little boston, soon leading to sunday family disputes of secrecy and anger from pauls preacher brother eli (another excellent performance from paul dano with just 3 days to prepare for the role under unforseen circumstances) whereupon plainview pays his $5000 upfront and promises $5000 donation to his church.
the film continues with heart racing moments, and incredible soundtrack from the guitarist of radiohead, and aforementioned stunning acting performances, from exceptional method actor daniel day lewis~
with a rather amazing moustache....
all i can say to you is that this film won best actor at both the baftas and oscars 2008, and truly diserves all the praise with wonderful cinematography to boot.
and how could you resist the line "i drink your milkshake, i drink it up!"
perfect.
Engaging, if watered down, political drama that's more a work of filmed theatre than an actual movie, directed by Hollywood legend / multi-Oscar winning screen icon Robert Redford (who also stars) and coming in at a lean 93 minutes, 'Lions For Lambs' is a film of three strands. The opening scene introduces ruthless Republican senator Jasper Irving (another show stopping, hence universally overlooked, performance by Tom Cruise) giving an exclusive interview to respected journo/one-time supporter Janine Roth (a typically good showing from Meryl Streep) in a bid to sell his dubious war plan for U.S. victory in Afghanistan. Another story sees kindly political science professor Dr. Stephen Malley (Redford in wise patriarch mode) eloquently advise three students on the importance of social awareness and individual responsibility, two of whom (Derek Luke and Michael Pena, last seen in 'Catch A Fire' and 'Shooter' respectively) misinterpret his lectures and sign up for the war, albeit as part of the economic draft which forces our most impoverished communities (i.e. in America's case; Black & Hispanic) into military service for basic benefits. Their consequent colonial misadventure in Afghanistan (executing Senator Irving's idea) would've been superfluous, had 'Lions For Lambs' made its case with conviction earlier on, though the students-turned-soldiers story accurately serves to depict the tragic, real world culmination of imperialism, public indifference and chicken hawk hubris. Matthew Michael Carnahan's script is reasonably well informed, but plays political dodge-ball on more than one occasion, and I'm not overly impressed by his work as a screenwriter (Carnahan having also penned risible Peter Berg thriller 'The Kingdom') I think he sets out with good intentions, but a lack of serious, non-partisan research stymies any valid points he may have to make (the same goes for an auteur like Ed Zwick). That said, this film, when it identifies apathy & indifference as our greatest enemies in the struggle for freedom, briefly escapes the confines of casual coffee house conversation and ascends to the heights of insightful commentary. Redford directs with a sure hand whilst Meryl Streep gives it her all in a well acted dénouement; one that betrays some level of guilt / responsibility by the forth estate in its dereliction of duty to bring the powers that be to account prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. A decent start for Cruise's newly acquired 'United Artists', with an excellent performance by the man himself; 'Lions For Lambs', despite its annoying softly, softly approach, just tilts the fence left in its criticism of those who led us to war. Robert Redford's character has a line where he says: "Nowhere else have I seen such lions led by such lambs", a sentiment shared by many four or five years ago, but today, such a statement is applicable only in the wider sense; as an indictment of U.S. imperialism itself: In like a lion, out like lamb.
"Xena Warrior Princess" can often be thought of as campy colourful show, and indeed it was a women in leather running around the countryside fighting Cyclops and harpies, tends not add up to serious Fantasy show. That should not lesson value of the its appeal, Lucy Lawless and Renne O'Connor have undeniable chemistry and this helps grab the viewer"s attention through the full six series, which is helped along by a whole host of other characters, from the "surfer babe" Aphrodite, to the evil Calisto, each character adds a new dimension from light heartedness to despair, easily engaging both adults and children, in to its extremely liberal take on historical events. The show was far from perfect some episodes were cringe worthy and unbelievable to the point of boredom, the series as a whole was much more based on stand alone episodes, meaning that sometimes you were searching through the much to find a jewel but as the series progressed this was much easier to do as the show found what it was truly good at. That said though there are some fantastic Episodes within each season, from the hilarious "Here she comes...Miss Amphipolis" to the epic "The Debt I and II", means that there is something for everyone.
The main strength of the show is inevitable the cast who make even the cheesiest of dialog easy to believe. Lawless, O'Connor, and also recurring stars such as Kevin smith (Ares) and Ted Raime (Joxer) all add a great deal of energy to the show making it irresistible to watch. The most significant part of this show however, is that it has a warm heart at its centre something which Sci-Fi/Fantasy shows are missing out on today. So if you are in a mood to laugh at the exploits of two friends hampering armies and sending Angels into hell, then "Xena Warrior Princess" the complete series, is definitely for you!
This story really is of two friends, one on a path of redemption (Xena) the other one innocent (Gabrielle). Set in Ancient Greece it follows their exploits through morale dilemmas in a sometimes poignant, but often-hilarious ways.
Sometime auteur John Dahl was one of the unsung heroes of the 1990s indie scene, and had the circuit not been home to mavericks like Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Noah Baumbach or Kevin Smith, would've taken his rightful place as the new John Sayles. For Dahl's sterling work in film noir is second to none: 'Kill Me Again' (1989) & 'Red Rock West' (1992) being among the finest films of their genre, whilst even his most overrated noir; 'The Last Seduction' (1994) had its moments of darkly comic brilliance. Contemporary N.Y. Poker drama 'Rounders' (1998), featuring a pair of outstanding performances by Ed Norton & Matt Damon, is easily Dhal's most underrated picture to date, and one of my all time favourite movies. After a few years of gun-for-hire work on listless studio fare, 'You Kill Me' marks somewhat of a return to form, albeit in a brand new and often awkward genre: The Screwball Comedy. Frank Falenczyk, played by the inimitable Ben Kingsley, is an alcoholic assassin for the Polish mafia (you're smiling already) who falls asleep on an important hit, and is ordered to sober up on pain of death in San Francisco. Its a classic Pole-out-of-water story that sees Frank come to blows with smarmy estate agent (Dahl regular Bill Pullman), befriend earnest 'Alcoholics Anonymous' man Luke Wilson ('Idiocracy') and fall in love with nonchalant saleswoman Tea Leoni all whilst arch-enemy / Irish mob boss; the ever excellent Dennis Farina, instigates an endgame massacre. Kingsley, still sporting that 'Sexy Beast', 'Lucky Number Sleven' goatee, delivers a fine, nuanced performance as the sauced killer; his sardonic humour / resigned sighs not dissimilar to Robert DeNiro in 'Midnight Run' and 'Jackie Brown'. Tea Leoni is an actress I haven't quite got the measure of; Leoni seems to make a decent movie every four or five years, and she's likeable enough here, though it's pretty much the same kooky shtick we've seen before. Markus & McFeely's script is a significant departure from their work on the 'Narnia' franchise, and plays out like quality Elmore Leonard with a welcome shot of dry humour / comic violence. The hit man comedy has been done to death with varying degrees of success, from memorable movies like 'The Matador' to hit n' miss affairs like 'The Whole Nine Yards'. And though it may miss the mark in its mission to better John Cusack's superlative 'Grosse Pointe Blank', 'You Kill Me' is still an amusing ride while it lasts; I may not watch it again for some time, but its definitely worth a shot.
At the risk of making you cringe by using the word "nice", that"s what this film is: a nice little comedy. Top marks firstly as it"s about an hour and a half long (perfect); secondly you are guaranteed some laughs because it stars Simon Pegg; thirdly and interestingly it"s directed by David Schwimmer of "Friends" fame, so there"s good pedigree from the outset.
A fair number of laughs ensue as Pegg enters a marathon with no previous running experience...yes, you can guess the rest. With quite brilliant turns from friend Dylan Moran and landlord Harish Patel along the way, Hanz Azaria adds further quality to this as Pegg"s superfit love rival and marathon opponent. What more could you ask for? A perfect light hearted, funny film next time you"re in need of a laugh (and probably a takeaway) after the usual long week at work. Can"t go wrong!
Award winning director Milos Foreman's ('One Flew Over The Cuckoo"s Nest', 'Amadeus') lavish and intentionally chaotic period drama, sees legendary Spanish artist Francisco Goya (Stellan Skarsgard) embroiled in a series of historical events when The Inquisition charges his muse (Natalie Portman) with "heresy". 'Goya's Ghosts' is an ambitious, original and sometimes visually spectacular picture, though anyone expecting a straightforward biopic of the great painter will be disappointed, for its hardly about Goya at all. And whilst Stellan Skarsgard puts in a fine performance as the master neo-realist, he's more the thread that binds this film together; for its actually about the redemption of sadistic Spanish inquisitor Brother Lorenzo (Javier Bardem), Bardem gives another excellent performance (great voice work) though he tends to overdo the old 'acting with a mouthful of marbles' routine. Portman is engaging as usual, and though some of her scenes veer off into melodrama, she elicits a great deal of sympathy for the Marrano's plight. Javier Aguirresarobe's aesthetically pleasing, occasionally surrealist, cinematography is similar in style to Frank Griebe's work on 'Perfume: Story Of A Murderer', Aguirresarobe is one of Spain's finest D.O.P.s and has the ability to create a memorable stylistic ambience, particularly in Pedro Almodovar's 'Talk To Her' & Alejandro Amenábar's 'The Others'. A movie that attempts to encompass such a wide range of themes / ideas is bound to falter every now and then; for some of Foreman's directorial choices (a double role in particular) seem rushed and unintentionally funny, whilst the wider historical context is lost in favour of dramatic irony. A prime example is Goya's disillusionment with Napoleonic occupation, eloquently summarised in both his famous painting 'The Third of May, 1808' and in a few lines from his diary: "I witnessed how the noblest ideals of freedom and progress were transformed into lances, sabres and bayonets. Arson, looting and rape, all supposed to bring a New Order, in reality only exchanged the garrotte for the gallows". It's a shame then that 'Goya's Ghosts' doesn't quite convey the weight and simplicity of the aforementioned paragraph on film, but instead, opts for a Terrence Malik-esque, elliptical narrative structure. A good film, flawed in places, but worthy of a Renaissance.
"Michael Clayton" is a, in several ways, slightly old-fashioned movie made for today"s world. Nevertheless, it seems relevant, is a pleasure to watch and, I believe, one of the better (socially and cinematically) films of the last few years. It is the personal story of Michael Clayton (George Clooney), a shady lawyer; and a public story of big business, the ravages of capitalism and... shady lawyers. This is, in itself, nothing new. There have been a plethora of films on corrupt corporations recently and in our more distant pasts, and lawyers often have played roles in them. But the manner in which the characters are performed and revealed to the audience, bit by bit in their interactions with others (a bit like real life!), is refreshing in the often patronising worlds of Hollywood and American "independent" cinema. Intelligently written and acted characters are, I think, THE feature that makes "Michael Clayton" so compelling. The fact that, despite its moral centre, it is not preachy helps too. Although the weary lawyer"s journey to self-discovery in a dirty world is not new ground for cinema, when done like it is here, it is firm ground. The second thing that I liked about this film was the visual style. It had flair, particularly a Tarkovsky-like epiphany near the beginning, but not so much that it overwhelms or detracts from the nuanced performances the film features. Neither was it boring to look at. And the editing mostly disappears as performances and narratives flow from the screen. Basically, all other elements of the film serve its characters, performances, raw-materials, which are allowed to speak volumes. In this manner, "Michael Clayton"s" social heart is felt emotionally as well as intellectually, rather than rhetorically, the products of a good story told well. Compelling, intelligent... recommended.
"The Counterfeiters" opens with an exciting shot of a misty sky bleeding into the sea which washes the beach in Monte Carlo. Then it jovially (almost like a Benny Hill sketch) introduces you to the reticent Solly Solowitsch, who has a lot of money. It is clearly after World War II, and a young woman discovers a number tattooed on the inside of his arm. Then the film flashes back to a dingy brown Berlin, 1936, reminiscent of Fassbinder"s "Berlin Alexanderplatz". Solly cuts a fine figure in the local criminal underworld where he is the best counterfeiter in the World. Then, in bed with another beautiful young woman, Solly is arrested by Nazi police officer Herzog. From here on in the film takes place in the concentration camps, drained of colour as of life, as Solly"s particular skills are put to good use by Herzog, for the good of his cause. All the while Solly just wants to survive. There are a few remarkable things about this film. It is based on a true story, and a true character, both of which lend the film a, not sentimental or stuffy, historicity. It is filmed very evocatively, catching, for instance, the moral and emotional ambiguities of taking a shower as a member of a work commando in a concentration camp better than any fictional work of film I have seen before. It also works as a thriller, has fine human characters, moments of social commentary and a driven narrative. "The Counterfeiters" combines "serious" and "fun" perfectly, it is easy to watch (except when it shouldn't be) and rewarding. Which means there is little reason not to watch it.
Stella Street
This is one of those increasingly rare phenomena: a simple idea for a funny show.
It"s not based on a "new" or "clever" idea or (heaven help us) "concept". I"m getting tired of shows telling us how unique they are, before they"ve even started with their incessant, "kooky" background music. (Pushing Daisies immediately springs to mind...)
Even though the impressions may be spot on (Mick Jagger is fantastic, that voice going up and down an octave!), with the dodgy wigs etc. you can"t quite believe that within each 10 minute episode you are sucked into the whole premise and find you just need to watch one more...and one more...and one more to see what happens next.
You can"t analyse it; it sounds questionable on paper - people (badly!) dressed up as Hollywood stars living in the same street in Surbiton - it"s simply funny.
This is really clever stuff, witty, fast (you"ll find this DVD value for money, to watch over and over; I still see things I"ve missed), and very, very funny.
As is often the case, the first series is the cracker, still good after that but go for this one to start with. Something you"ll keep coming back to. (And no, it hasn"t dated one bit!)
We have owned all of these films since they were first produced for VHS. Norman Wisdom has become a forgotten star - an actor, singer, comedian. He is brilliant. My grandparents took my parents to see his films at the cinema, my parents introduced me to his films now I have introduced my children. Four generations of entertainment.
How could you not want to own all of these movies. Some of them are older than me yet everytime I watch them I can't help but fall about laughing. Essential to any DVD collection.
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